“The Essential Teachings of Aikido” is affordably priced at $67. This excellent pedagogical material will advance your progress in the art and insure that your practice exhibits a martial quality so essential to aikido. You will have instant access to the 61 lessons of the “Essential Teachings” at any time, from any computing device, and can even download lessons to any and all of your devices at your convenience. It makes good sense to order now, and set a firm intention to jump start your progress in aikido.

Michio Hikitsuchi Sensei emphasizes key concepts like perceiving the opponent's ki and seizing the initiative when executing aikido techniques. The content he imparts in these video lessons accurately reflects the ideas and technical methods used by Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba. Yet few practitioners have even heard of these concepts so important to a deep understanding of aikido. Watch these videos highlights of Michio Hikitsuchi Sensei's 61-lesson online course titled "Essential Teachings of Aikido" for an idea of the outstanding content it contains.

Hikitsuchi Sensei demonstrates the skill of Seizing the Initiative. One must control uke from the very outset of the encounter. To wait for a person to attack is to become conscious of him as an adversary. We lead to transcend being the attacker or the defender

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Michio Hikitsuchi (1923 – 2004) was one of the closest disciples of Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba. Hikitsuchi Sensei hailed from Shingu in Wakayama Prefecture near the birthplace of the Founder in Tanabe. He started his training under Ueshiba before the war as a teenager, and later built the Shingu Kumano Juku Dojo at the Founder’s behest in 1953. Hikitsuchi Sensei continued as the chief instructor of the Shingu Dojo for 50 years until his passing in 2004.

“The Essential Teachings of Aikido” elucidates the essential principles of Aikido that should be part of your current training. Hikitsuchi Sensei is a very important historical figure because of his extensive contact and training with Morihei Ueshiba during the latter’s frequent visits to Shingu in the Kumano region of Japan. He was also an ordained Shinto priest and had the ability to comprehend Ueshiba’s often arcane manner of speaking. A devoted follower of the Founder, Hikitsuchi was capable of faithfully reproducing the speeches and technical explanations of Ueshiba with uncanny accuracy during his long teaching career.

You will see many examples of this in the video lessons presented in the “Essential Teachings of Aikido” course. Hikitsuchi Sensei emphasizes important concepts like perceiving the opponent’s ki and seizing the initiative when executing aikido techniques. The precious content he imparts in these videos accurately reflects the ideas and technical methods used by Founder Morihei Ueshiba. It is important for you as a practitioner to understand and internalize these key martial and spiritual concepts in your practice. Your art will take on a new dimension as you apply these principles in your training.

Here are just some of the subjects covered in Hikitsuchi Sensei's lessons. Have these principles been explained to you as part of your training?

1. The importance of seizing the initiative

One must control uke from the very outset of the encounter. To wait for a person to attack is to become conscious of him as an adversary. We lead to transcend being the attacker or the defender. If the attacker seizes the initiative, the defender has a greatly reduced amount of time to respond. The defender must attempt to get off the line of attack, unbalance the attacker, and execute a counterattack in a fraction of a second.

2. Sincerity of attack

In your role as uke, do you attack with full intention and sincerity? Aikido relies on both parties bringing a pure energy to practice. It is a mistake for uke to use his foreknowledge of the technique to modify his attack. Correct practice depends of the sincerity of uke’s attack.

3. Shinken shobu… Action in dead earnest

You must put everything you have into your aikido as if it your life were at stake. Otherwise your true heart will never manifest itself.

4. Masakatsu Agatsu… True Victory, Victory over Self.

The true aim of aikido is not victory over an opponent, but rather over oneself through the process of purification in practice.

5. Inryoku… Attractive power

Inryoku, attractive power, is what checks uke’s will to attack. It is what instantaneously stops the ki of uke when he thinks to attack.

6. Katsuhayabi… Speed independent of space and time

In Aikido, the issue is decided at the instant of the encounter. It is decided at the moment uke and nage come together. Uke thinks to attack, but he himself is struck.

7. Shugyo… Ascetic discipline

The practice of aikido is a discipline for polishing one’s character and living life in harmony with divine nature.

An expression of the Founder’s ideal of the highest level of aikido where techniques perfectly suited to the immediate circumstances surge forth spontaneously.

Here's what the "Essential Teachings of Aikido" course will do for you!

Let's talk about you and your training. Sometimes it's easy to attend practice without giving it too much thought. By that I mean you attend class when you can, prepare for exams, enjoy the interaction with your dojo mates, and things of that nature.

Do you ever think of yourself as becoming an expert... someone who has attained a master status who exudes confidence on the mat? If not, why not?

We live in an age where information on any imaginable subject is easily accessible. What has become important is to learn how to make good use of your time. If you have spent years of your life practicing aikido or intend to, why not set your goals high?

This week we are drawing your attention to one of aikido's greats, Michio Hikitsuchi, 10th dan. Hikitsuchi Sensei was an amazing technician who was also capable of explaining the Founder's esoteric philosophy in understandable terms.

You absolutely need quality input of this kind in order to excel in aikido and make the art a transformative discipline in your life.

Most practitioners waste years in training by mindlessly repeating ineffectual patterns that lack the martial integrity present in Morihei Ueshiba O-Sensei’s art. Through a detailed presentation of Aikido’s most fundamental techniques and their underlying principles, Michio Hikitsuchi Sensei will guide you as you fine tune your techniques and imbue your art with the profound spiritual principles espoused by the Founder.

Make a pact with yourself today to improve your training. Absorb the inspiring teachings of the Founder of Aikido in comprehensible language.

Once again, $67 is all you will pay for full permanent access to “The Essential Teachings of Aikido” using any computing device, from any location, at any time. This course is mobile friendly for maximum convenience. All you need is an Internet connection!